Stranger in the Night
by TheUnluckyShipper
Summary: With defending her fathers kingdom, Anises life is anything but easy. When her father forces her to decide who she is to marry among three men, who will she choose? And who is the mysterious stranger that visits her in the night?
1. Chapter 1

Stranger in the Night.

**Pairing: MutsukixAnise. **

**Rating : T, for odd situations, and potty mouths.**

**NOTE-** In this Fanfic, Mikage and Kaede are in a relationship. Hate if you will, it just makes my life easier :P. Also, Kaede and Anise are good FRIENDS.

Let's begin, shall we?

Being a princess is _every_ girls dream. That is, every girl except for Anise, who actually lived the life. Said princess was currently fighting tooth and nail to avoid a torturous event, which most noble women had to go through.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLEASE, STOP IT HURTS!" A high pitched wail resonated through the palace, startling chickens, making dogs bark and waking any sleeping noblemen in the process. Sounds of struggle could be heard through a heavy, oaken door. A flash of disheveled pink ran out of the room, speeding down the hall for dear life. As the blur ran, it bumped into several people who swore violently, annoyed at the interruption of their otherwise lovely day. One poor soul was carrying a large stack of paper. Finally, the blur reached her destination, slamming the door shut as she rushed in.

"HOLY HOT SAUCE AND BLOODY HELL, WHO ARE YO- Oh, it's you Anise." The pink blur, whose name was Anise, looked up from the floor, panting slightly from her run. The room she was in was sparsely decorated, but it had a certain charm, what with its bookcases and flower vases. For Anise, this place was a sanctuary. When she was younger, she would rush inside, and spend hours inside with her only companion, complaining bitterly about life as a princess. "Earth to Anise, what happened _this_ time?" The speaker was a short, violet haired girl with sharp blue eyes. Anise looked at her with large eyes and wailed,

"They tried to force me into a _corset_ Mikage, a freakin' corset!" Anise's voice was full of horror and pain. Mikage, the violet haired girl, however merely rolled her eyes.

"Please Anise, it sounded like bloody murder, the way you were screaming. 'NOOOOOOOOOOO, PLEASE, STOP IT HURTS!'" She said in a high pitched voice, clearly mocking her friend, "Jeez, it sounded like you were being raped!" The pinkette winced, it was true that she said that, but she hadn't overreacted! For her, putting on a corset was pure torture, the tight laces jabbing into her ribs, making every breath impossible. The mere idea of such things made her blanche. "Anyway, why did they even decide that you NEEDED a corset? You're thin enough as is." The musing of her friend brought Anise back to her current dilemma. She sighed, even the thought of _it_ made her want to cry.

*Flashback*

_Anise walked through the halls, her muddy dress splattering the polished marble floor. She scowled, what was so important that she had to be called to meet her FATHER, the very "king" of the damned ! Half the time he was gone, so she had to take care of The Dominion's problems. _Goddamnit, if this isn't important, I'll skin someone, and dip them into boiling oil!_ Murderous thoughts swirling through her head, a malicious smile slowly spread across her face, chilling the air around her. The guards escorting her edged away nervously, afraid of whatever the princess was thinking. Laughable as it were that two grown men were scared of a little girl, the story about her nearly killing a sentential was a legend among the guard, and there was a secret, unspoken rule._

Don't piss the princess off.

_Finally, they reached their destination, the throne room. The two men slipped away, glad to get away from the deadly princess and still have their limbs attached. Anise sighed, standing in front of the door, resting her head against the cool wood, gathering her strength. The last time her father had called her to the throne room, it was to tell her about the death of her mother. She straightened up, and pushed the door open, stepping into the silent room._

"_Hello father," she said in a monotone voice, not displaying any emotion at all. Her father regarded her coldly, saying nothing. Anise squirmed underneath his stare, acutely aware of her muddy apparel. Silently, she cursed, hating how he could make her feel so uncomfortable. The silence stretched on, and at last, Anise couldn't take it anymore. "Well, what's so important that you haul your mighty ass here and send for me?" She demanded, not caring if she sounded rude. Her father said nothing, only a twitch of his eyebrow revealed that he was angry. Finally, he spoke._

"_You're getting married." Short and to the point. Anise was struck into silence, shocked at what her father had said. Processing this, she could splutter._

"_Wha-Whe-Who- Why?" Regaining her composure, she began to speak furiously. "Who are you to decide who I'M going to marry? It's my own PERSONAL decision, and I refuse! You rarely have anything to do with the kingdom, half the time I'm running the kingdom! So, if you think that you can just _waltz___in here and tell me what do,____you can shove it for all I care!" Schwartz, her father, sat silently through her angry rant, and at last spoke. _

"_In the last decade, the other countries have been moving in and trying to invade our kingdom, The Dominion. Since we specialize in defense, we can only hold off the other nations for so long. That's why I decided to contact three nations specialized in attack, and arrange a marriage for you."_

_Anise fumed, who was her father to say this?! "Why would you marry me off to a nation that's at war with us? Isn't that defeating the purpose? That would be practically giving the kingdom away!" Schwartz looked amused, and explained his reasoning._

"_Relax, the three nations that I've selected from are neutral, and promised to remain so until the marriage. Besides, the three nations-"_

"_Would you care to name the "three nations"? Anise said, her sweet tone laced with venom. Schwartz merely looked at her, slightly amused. _

"_The nations are the Kingdom Valkoinenia, the Nation of Caelua and the Region of Lusraron." Anise fumed silently, she couldn't disagree with her father. Those three nations _**were **_neutral, and they _**were**___all skilled in attack. She stormed out of the room in a wordless fury, her muddy robes splashing the base of the throne. Her father chuckled when he heard the slam of the door. "Let's see which one of them wins your heart, dearest daughter..." He murmured, eyes sliding half shut._

_* End Flashback*_

"So, are you going to answer my question, or just continue staring off into space like that?" The sharp voice of Mikage brought Anise back to the present. Gathering her wits, she breathed in slowly, and said,

"Mikage, I'm going to get-" CRASH! The door was thrown open, and a red haired male stood panting by the door.

"Have… you… seen... Anise?" He said, gasping for air in between breaths. Anise visibly stiffened, it was _him_.

"In case you haven't noticed my dear Kaede, she's currently sitting on the floor, and was about to tell me something very important." Mikage said, her tone laced with obviously faked sweetness. The male, Kaede, looked down, and saw a _very_ annoyed Anise sitting on the floor.

"What do _you_ want, flame-head?" Anise said scornfully, referring to his hair.

Kaede flushed, and said angrily, "In case you didn't know brat, half the damn castle's in an uproar looking for your _spoiled_ highness."

"_Spoiled _highness? Is that the best you can do Fire-face?"

"Bring it on Pinky!"

Mikage watched the insult-fest, and chuckled under her breath. While the two appeared to be worst enemies, they were good friends. '_Of course, they better be _just_ friends..."_ Mikage thought, but she dismissed the idea. Why would Anise try and tear them apart? It was _her_ who got them both together. "Arghhh! I've had enough of this!" The enraged wail of Kaede brought Mikage back to reality.

"What, being a sexually frustrated teenager? 'Cuz if that's the case, then you're in for some bad news."

"No, you conceited little-"

"Enough, you two." Mikage finally intervened, though if it was for Kaede's sake or Anise's sake, she had no clue. "Now, what were you going to say, Anise?" Anise's face went white, as she had forgotten about telling Mikage.

Gulping she said in a shaky voice, "I'm getting married, Mikage." The room was silent, disbelief radiating out of her two friends.

"How-when-Why?!" Both of them demanded simultaneously. In a shaking voice, Anise explained the situation, and the reasons why she couldn't refuse.

"Wait-" Kaede interrupted her when she got to the countries, "Did you say Caelua, Valkoinenia, and Lusraron?"

"Yes, why?" Anise looked at her friend; a look of unease was upon his face. He shook his head, and said,

"Because I'm pretty sure that I-" The door flew open again, only this time it was the fat head seamstress, looking like she had all of Hell behind her.

"So, this is where you've been hiding all along, little brat," she said menacingly, her pudgy figure seeming to fill up the whole room. "Let's get back to business, shall we?" Anise let out a terrified squeak, afraid for her life, and ran for the door. The head seamstress lunged for her with big meaty hands, but missed. She cursed as she heard the delighted princess cackles of glee at her escape. Kaede and Mikage both chuckled, the two knowing how fast their friend could run when she was scared.

Anise ran, her feet skimming over the marble, only one destination in mind. _The rose garden, the rose garden, must get to the rose garden!_ Weaving between court nobles, she ran through the garden gates, and finally arrived at said destination.

"Ahhhhhhh," she said in a blissful voice, sinking down into the cool, soft grass. _Here,_ she thought, _is the only place where I can escape the damned life of a princess, where I can relax, and not have annoying noblemen trying to woo me any second. _She made a face, who _did_ like those noblemen anyway? What with their constant fawning, double chins, and those heavy powdered wigs. "They remind me of bugs half the time," she muttered, standing up so that way she could weed her roses. Most commoners thought that the princess was incapable of such work, what with her slender build and delicate frame. But truth be told, she loved gardening, and whoever tried to "Improve" it would often get their left hind cheek kicked in. "Damned nobles, can't even let me garden, can they?" she hissed as the wrathfully yanked weeds from the ground. _'The nerve of these weeds! Taking precious room away from my precious roses! I'll show them...'_

"You know, it's not proper for a young woman to be alone," a mild voice said behind her. She jumped and swore, angry that some shithead noblemen had invaded her personal space.

"You two-faced bastards! Can't you damned guys-" She suddenly stopped her rant upon seeing who she was cursing. There, across the garden, was a tall young man, with fair, silvery hair, and pale blue eyes. She cursed in her head, he was attractive! _How in the holy name of the Dominion can someone look so good without trying?! _The male had a slender build, with thin, delicate facial features, a face that could make anyone squeal. _Ah hell, I've insulted a bishie...I'm dead now, aren't I?_ Anise shuddered, scared at what the handsome man would say.

"Did I scare you? I beg pardon Madame, I was but looking for the palace entrance." Her mouth dropped open. _He wasn't angry?!_ "In my search, I found you here, and I hope that you may direct me to the opening. Can you?" While he was talking, he walked toward her, until she was close enough to see the gold stitching on his neat, pale cream outfit. Anise gulped, this was _way_ too close for comfort. His blue eyes bored into her pink ones, respectful, but strangely almost seductive.

"Take two left turns past the statue of roses, then a right one. After that, just head straight until you reach two fountains. When you do, take the left hand route." She squeaked out, blushing a shade so read that it put Kaede's hair to shame.

"Thank you Madame." The male said, kneeling down and kissing her hand with his pale lips. Anise let out another squeak and ran from there like a bat outta hell. The male chuckled, and left, thinking about the interesting girl who he just met. "If only I wasn't to be married..." He thought, and left for the palace.

"What was _that?_" Anise said to herself as she ran across the vast green lawn. She continued sprinting in a random direction until she reached a gazebo by a small pond, the still blue waters a complete opposite of her thoughts. Preoccupied with them, she didn't notice a small boy creeping to her until he was beside her.

"Hello, miss?" A soft, almost feminine voice asked her. She jumped, turned round and nearly started swearing again. The sight of the mysterious voice however, almost made her melt. The speaker was a young, adorable boy. The soft curves of his youthful face made it almost feminine, but the large, pale gold eyes and the soft, gentle wisps of azure hair gave him a sweet puppy-dog look. She ogled the boy, not getting enough of the sweet, youthful face. "Miss?" He said hesitantly, looking unsure as to whether he should continue to talk to her. Anise, realizing what she was doing, snapped her head back, and flushed redder than a tomato.

"Ye-yes?" She stammered out, embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Do you know where the palace entrance is? I've been searching, but I still can't find it." He pouted adorably at the end of his sentence. _What the fudge is this? In ONE day, no in one afternoon, I've managed to meet two bishies, who for some reason want to know where the palace entrance is._ Shaking her head at the coincidence, Anise gave the adorable boy the same directions as she did with the silver haired man.

"Thank you so much, miss!" The little boy gave her a hug, and dashed off, leaving Anise to wonder what happened with her sanity. At that moment, her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she had ate no breakfast.

"Fooood..." She moaned under her breathe, but the thought of encountering the head seamstress scared her off from going inside. _Besides, _she thought, _there is a place where I can get food, and hopefully not be disturbed. _ With that thought in mind, she happily skipped to the shadowy fruit tree grove.

Anise shivered as she felt the cool shadows dapple her skin. The tree's branches sagged with weight, the ripe fruit weighing it down. Listlessly she dragged her fingers lightly over a tree trunk, until her hand came in contact with a fruit. Not even looking to see what type it was, she grabbed it and chomped down. The sweet, tangy flavour of peach flooded her taste buds and she sighed, relaxing at the familiar flavour. _The orchards aren't that bad._ She thought absent mindedly. Most people were afraid of the gloomy land, the tall dark trees giving the area an unsettling aura. Anise, however, found it a soothing place. "Besides," she said softly, "People are too afraid to come near here." Even the gardeners were afraid of going there.

"Then they are idiots," a deep voice said. Anise shrieked, and turned around, partially wondering if this was _another_ bishie, and if he wanted to know where the palace entrance was as well. Turning around however, she saw no one. "I'm here. Look up, you dolt." The voice said above her, sounding annoyed for some reason. Fuming, Anise looked up to give the speaker a piece of her mind and froze. Sitting high up on a thick branch was a thin, tall young man. The fact that he had climbed that high didn't surprise her as much as how he looked. Dark, inky black hair with an almost purple tint that looked smoother than silk fell across his face and pale, refined facial features that gave him a regal look. What surprised Anise most though, were his eyes: dark, blood red eyes that held no emotion in them.

_Red eyes? Isn't that a rare feature?_ She thought. Anise herself had eyes that were red; it was a common trait in her mother's side, along with the rosy pink hair. Her eyes though, were almost pinkish, nothing like the deep, rich red of the strangers. Altogether, it was a _very _handsome face, but not in the same way as other twos'. His face was unearthly, almost non-human. A soft "Whumpf" noise came from beside her, and she turned, chain of thought broken, wondering what had made the noise. There, beside her, leaning slightly against the tree was the man, looking as calm as could be. Anise's mouth opened and closed, looking incredulous at the feat. That drop was at _least_ 30 feet, how the hell had he not broken a bone, much less still be alive?

"Are you going to continue opening and closing your mouth like a fish? If you are, I suggest you stop, it's unattractive." The insult brought back Anises voice and ire, and the male was promptly assaulted by a barrage of questions.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? How did you survive the fall? What are you doing here? When did you climb up the tree? _Why_ did you climb up the tree, and who are you calling a fish?" The man blinked in surprise, astonished at the speed of her questions. Sighing, he answered back just as fast.

"Why do you want to know who I am, not telling you, I didn't feel like dying, I'm here for a reason, I did not _climb_ up the tree, and the reason as to why I was up there is because I wanted peace and quiet. Also I didn't say you were a fish, I said you _resemble _one when you open and close your mouth repeatedly. Now," he said, giving Anise a glare so that way she'd shut up, "I'd rather not answer anymore questions, instead I have one. Where is-"

"The palace gate?" Anise cut in, looking closely at his face for any signs of surprise. His face betrayed nothing, only his eyes showed a flash of surprise. "Every single bish-_ person_ that I've meet today wanted to know where the palace entrance was. The common trait was that I've never met them before. Now," she said, imitating him, "I'll tell you where it is if you answer _this_. Why are you so irritable?" A long, awkward silence filled the air, and at last, he spoke.

"Because, if you've been alive for as long as I have, you'd be as bitter as I am."

Anise was quiet, processing this, and softly said, "Why?"

"Why should you care?" He said in a neutral voice, "I've answered your question, now you tell me where the palace entrance is."

She debated briefly about not telling him, and continuing to pester him, but something in his eyes stopped her from doing so. Sighing mentally, she gave him the same instruction as she did to the other two. He nodded, showing his thanks silently. As he turned to leave, he looked back, and said casually "By the way, there's a maggot in that peach." Looking down at her peach, Anise did indeed see a wriggly, nasty little maggot squirming from a bitten of section. Shrieking, she threw the peach away, and ran towards the palace, having enough chaos for one day. The male stood alone in the grove and chuckled briefly, before heading off to the looming palace ahead.

"MIIIKKKAAAGGGEEE!" The violet head jumped and swore as her head hit an overhanging shelf. Kaede smirked. _Looks like Anise got in trouble _again_..._ Said pink head burst into the room, looked for her friends, and blushed. There, underneath a book shelf were Mikage and Kaede, looking distinctly ruffled, as if they just had been making out. "Did I... interrupt something?" She asked, blushing as she realized that her best friend was sitting in Kaede's lap.

"Yes-No." Two voices said simultaneously. "No, you didn't Anise, now what's the matter?" Mentally, Mikage sighed, even though she enjoyed making out with her boyfriend, her best friend _always_ went first.

"I met three bishie today, all of which wanted to know where the palace entrance, one was adorable, one was hot, one was handsome, all of them I didn't know, and the head seamstress is still chasing m-"

"THERE YOU ARE YOU LITTLE MAGGOT!" A furious voice boomed from behind her. Shaking in her shoes, Anise resisted the urge to turn around. _Maybe if I don't see her, she won't see me!_ Realizing what she had just thought, she mentally face palmed.

"Stupid brain!" She muttered, why on earth she had even thought that would be possible. Large hands suddenly tossed her up on a meaty shoulder, and with dread, she knew that her demise was imminent. "NUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO!" Futilely she squirmed, trying desperately to get free. The head seamstress cackled, and carried the shrieking pinkette away.

"Can't...breathe...need…air!" Anise gasped as her lungs were slowly being crushed by the torture machine known as a corset.

"Suck it up, you spoiled brat, in _my_ day, us women needed to wear them all the time. These days, youngsters like you only wear them for special occasions." The seamstress said, looking slightly irritated at the teenager's complaint. Gulping, Anise kept quiet, silently crying at the pain. Sighing, the seamstress loosened the ties just a little, and continued doing her job.

"There, I did my best with your taste and the kings."

Anise scowled. It was her _father _who decided to do this? "No figure, of course he would do this. After all, he does like to piss me off." She muttered underneath her breath, cursing her father to Hell and back.

"Are you going to continue talking to yourself, or will you look in the damned mirror and see how you look?" Ignoring the disrespectful tone, Anise tossed the cloth covering her oval looking glass and looked. A slim, elegant little princess looked back. The dress was a pale gold in colour, and shimmery, flowing gently down her body. The dress tightened slightly at the waist, giving a curvier appearance to her otherwise thin frame. Lace covered her arms, and patterned the cloth in dainty flowers. She was speechless, normally she hated girly clothing, but this was both feminine, and mature, the simple design making it much easier to move in than the fussier dresses. "Well, do you like it or not?" The impatient tones of the older woman brought Anise back to the present.

"It's beautiful, thank you." Though she may not act like it sometimes, she could act proper once in a while. The door opened, and in came her father, looking all the part of a king, and not at all like a vagabond.

"It's time, dearest daughter." He said his voice rumbling. Breathing deeply and steeling herself, she stiffly took his arm and walked down the hall way.

"Now, remember daughter," Schwartz said, "act proper to these people. The smallest sign of disrespect can yield horrible results."

Anise nodded, and a question bubbled in her mind. "Which one of these men am I to marry, father?" Her father gave her a wide, wolfish grin, and said;

"Since you complained of having no choice in this, I've decided you can at least decide who you are to marry." Her mouth dropped open, she knew her father enjoyed making her angry, but this was just plain cruel! "Here we go now, just relax." With that, Schwartz opened the door, and stepped into the ball room,

Anise followed in suite. Upon looking at the men who she was to marry, she did a double take, and yelled, "YOU GUYS?!"

A/N

Erherher, First chapter is finally done! Dear pasta sauce, this was really annoying... Must get started on next chapter.

Thanks to my friend Charmaine for revising/ editing/coming up with the nations names.

Derpybunnies 86 .

P.S, If you don't mind, please review!


	2. Drink your tea

Stranger in the Night.

**Pairing: MutsukixAnise. **

**Rating : T, for odd situations, and potty mouths.**

**A/N**; I really do need to learn the concept of time management, don't I?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Barajou no Kiss (sadly) I do own my own O.C's however.**

CHAPTER 2

There in front of her were the three mysterious men who she had before; the man with the fair slivery white hair, the boy with the unbearably cute face, and the tall stranger with the dark red eyes. _'In the name of the Dominion, what the hell is going on?!'_ Anise thought as she stared at them, astonished at the turn of events. Surprise was clearly written upon the three as well, even the dark haired one. Silence filled the hall and at last, her father spoke.

"I take it that you've all met before?" Schwartz said a look of wicked amusement upon his face. Inside, he was cackling in amusement. _'Oh ho ho, how the plot thickens... I wonder what will happen next. And does my dear daughter even know that one of them is not human? Argh, I wish I had popcorn...'_ By mistake, he chuckled out loud, and instantly four pairs of eyes were on him.

"What's so funny _dear_ father?" Anise asked, sarcasm practically dripping off her lips. The three men behind nodded, all of them looking pissed at the man's out-of-place laugh. Schwartz gulped, even though he wasn't afraid of his daughter, he _was_ afraid of her psychotic fits, which involved gruesome torture methods. Even if he hadn't been on the receiving end of one, he had heard the story about the poor sentential.

"Nothing daughter, just laughing for the sheer urge of it." Even shaking in his boots, her father still managed to look calm and composed. Anise smiled sweetly, her father could put up the Great Wall of China between the two of them, and she'd _still_ be able to know whether or not he was afraid. _'Although,'_ she thought frowning,_ 'that's the extent of how well I can read him.'_ It was true, Anise could tell when her father was angry or scared, but for her life, she couldn't tell what he was scheming.

"So, care to say your name, gentlemen?" As usual, her father was being suave, causally changing the topic. Anise glowered at him, annoyed at how easily he was changing the subject. But, as Anise was the more mature of the two in her mind, she let it slide_ this time._ There was an awkward silence among the five, and at last, the white haired man spoke.

"My name fair lady is Mitsuru Tenjou, and I am the representative for Valkoinenia. I hope," He said with an almost lecherous expression, "that we get _well_ acquainted in the future." Anise blushed, it was impossible not to understand the innuendo in his words. The blue haired boy looked shyly at her and said in a stammering voice;

"I'm Seiran Asagi... and my home land is Caelua." At the end of his stutter, he ducked his head down, and the action reminded Anise of a kitten who was trying to hide. Resisting the sudden urge to go and hug the life out of him, she turned to the final stranger, the one who intrigued her the most. The male merely blinked, looking bored. The seconds ticked by as the group waited, staring at the final candidate. Finally, just before Anise was going to burst with frustration, he spoke.

"My name is Mutsuki Kurama, my homeland is Lusraron." The words were slow and halting, as if the speaker was not use to speaking in public. He scowled, and ducked his head and Anise swore she saw the tiniest tint of red on his cheeks. The hall was silent, the five occupants waiting for something, though whatever it was, Anise couldn't guess for all the gold. Gradually, she became aware of intense stares toward her, and with a slight start she realized that they were waiting for her name. Guilty she gulped, and said in a rushed voice;

"Umm... hello, my name's Anise, and I'm from here, otherwise known as The Dominion, it's nice to meet you all. Ummm... I think I have books that I have to return now, so BYE!" With that, the pinkette ran towards the door without a second glance back. Should she have done so, Anise would have gotten the satisfaction of seeing the surprised faces of the men behind her, even her father. The men stood in stunned silence, shocked by the sheer speed of her hasty retreat. Suddenly, Schwartz roared in laughter, startling the men with him.

"What on earth are you laughing at?" Tenjou asked, amazed at the man. Schwartz chuckled for a few more minutes then he said mirthfully,

"You three had no idea about what you're getting into." With that he strolled out, his tall frame shaking with amusement. The three males left in the court room felt a shiver of fear at his words.

Anise walked in between bookshelves as she sought out the man who had become somewhat of a father figure to her. Weaving in between the maze of books, she chuckled at the disorder; the man really did never learn how to organize his study. Her amusement quickly became anger as she tried to figure out the route that would lead her to him.

"Dangit Itsushi-sensei, where the hell are you!" She roared, losing her patience as she turned to another dead end. A black thing suddenly popped out of nowhere in front of her, and she jumped. She would of hit the thing, but as she saw the almost bat like appearance of the creature, her mouth broke into a large grin. "Ninufa! I'm so glad to see you; can you show me where Itsushi-sensei is?" The bat like creature gave her a saucy grin and said;

"Da, yeah I can show ya where he is! Follow me!" With that, Ninufa hovered past her, and beckoned for Anise to follow. Following him along the _correct_ path, she shook her head in disbelief, how in the world did Ninufa manage to remember his way, she never would know. Left, right, let again, right again, how big was this man's office?! Finally, they turned left again, and there was the man who she wanted to see. Short, pale blond hair, friendly eyes behind wire rimmed glasses; the man practically radiated _'I am intelligence in a human form.' _Despite the fact that Anise normally hated those types of people, she knew Itsushi ever since she was a child. Ever since she was little, Itsushi was with her, helping little Anise with her studies, teaching her about her country and how to defend it. _'If anyone can help me with this problem, it has to be him.'_ She thought, looking respectfully at him. The man looked over at her carefully. Normally his student was bubbly, with a sparkle in her eyes, and a spring in her step. Today, the fiery little princess was dragging her feet across the floor, and those vibrant ruby eyes which he had come to love were a dull, almost flat colour.

"What's wrong my dear?" He asked, concern in his gray-blue, it was odd for her to look so dejected. Anise lifted her head and looked up, dreading telling him of her situation. Thankfully, Ninufa managed to tell him in a roundabout way.

"Da, did ya like the dress I made for your meeting?

"What meeting?" Itsushi asked his voice sharp with curiosity. Anise gulped and opened her mouth to tell him, but thankfully Ninufa managed to beat her to the catch.

"Da, you didn't know? Anise is getting married!" There was a dead silence in the study as Itsushi processed this, his face changing from bright red, to pale white and back to normal again. At last he spoke,

"So, who's the lucky man?" Anise mouth dropped open, her expression one of comical amusement. She was speechless, how could he be so nonchalant about this?! Seeing her confusion/anger he elaborated.

"Since the other nations have been making advances on The Dominion, it's obvious that Schwartz would marry you off eventually, though what surprises me the most is that he waited that long."

"What do you mean that you're surprised that he didn't marry me off earlier? Anise asked, intrigued at where this conversation was going. Itsushi looked at her curiously. _Was she really that oblivious? _

"Most noble women are married off at an early age, at least by 14. You however are still unmarried at 18, which is an oddity in the extremes. It seems that your father has managed to delay it, why would he do that; I have no idea whatsoever. But I digress, who are you going to marry?" Anise ground her teeth, ignoring him. Who was he to understand her father's ideas? Even Anise herself couldn't understand what he was thinking, and according to most people, she was able read him better than most people. _'Still, what Itsushi-sensei says is true, most noble women are married around 14, so why wasn't I? Not that I wanted to be, but I wonder...'_ Itsushi coughed, slightly irritated at being ignored. Anise frowned, she wanted pity damn it, not curiosity! Still, since he was one of the few men who she respected, she answered his question.

"Serian Asagi from Caeula, Mitsuru Tenjou from Valkoinenia, and Mutsuki Kurama from Lusraron." At the mention of Lusraron, he gave a start.

"Did you say Lusraron?" He asked, his voice sharper than usual.

"Yeah, why?" She responded, feeling a little nervous at the stare he was giving her. It was the type of stare that one gave when they were debating about something in their head. After what felt like an eternity, he finally seemed to make up his mind.

"Do you..." He said, hesitating a bit, "Do you remember the lesson on royalty we had a few years back?"

"Yes, I do. What does that have to do with the current situation?"

"Do you remember the race of Lusrarons rulers?" There was an unnatural quietness as Anise struggled to remember the lesson that they had so long ago.

(Flashback.)

_"Now Anise, remember that if you add hot water to tea and drink it right away, it has no flavour, you must let it steep a couple of... Stop staring out that window!" Ten year old Anise jumped as the stern voice of her teacher broke her out of her trance. She looked at him guilty, she hadn't meant to ignore him, just watching the birds outside had been much more interesting than the lesson, and one thing led to another. Itsushi sighed, it was only his fourth month as her tutor, and already he could see what the problem was. Crouching down so that he was at the same eye level at her, he asked her in a gentle voice,_

_"You really don't like being a princess, do you?" Little Anise nodded her head vigorously, in her opinion being a knight was much better. Itsushi sighed, pondering what he could teach her. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. "Do you know about the different races in this world?" He asked her, looking carefully at her expression. _'Bingo!'_ He thought as he saw the little girl's eyes widen._

_"Yeah I do, who doesn't?" She asked scornfully, not giving any hint as to how interested she really was. _'He's probably just doing this to tick me into something.'_ She thought grimly. Her tutor persisted though, in his career he had taught much more stubborn pupils._

_"Then, assuming that I'm a complete idiot, what types are there?" He asked knowing that girls her age desired to show off, especially ones of noble birth. _

_"There are elves, dragons, demons, angels, vampires, dwarves and Halflings if you want humanoid species." She said looking bored, really what was this man trying to accomplish? Itsushi grinned; the little princess had missed one species that he knew she would be interested about._

_"Yes that's most, but you did miss one..." He said in an offhand voice, barley able to contain his grin as he saw her irked expression._

_"If you're so smart, which one did I miss?" She hissed, looking like a ruffled bird. _

_Itsushi merely smiled and said to her, "Now now, no need to be so angry. Many people don't know about this race for a reason, they're one of the most secretive ones to date. In fact, since they manage to bled in so well with humans-"_

_"How do you know about them then?" Anise interrupted him, looking genuinely interested. In her life, most of the tutors she had treated her like an idiot, speaking to her as if she was still a baby. _This _man however, spoke to her as if she was an equal, and actually made an effort to understand her._

_"Through a long, painful process that I prefer not to speak of." He said, noting her crestfallen expression. "Sorry, it's just... bad memories so to speak." He apologized, it wasn't her fault that she was inquisitive, most girls who he had taught previously had little to no imagination. "Anyway, back to my original train of speech, the race that I'm talking about has even managed to become royalty, rulers of a powerful country." _

_"What's their name? And which country is it in charge of?" She piqued up, interested more than ever in where this was going._

_"The name of the race is the Dark Stalkers, and they have Lusraron under their command."_

(End of flashback)

Anise gasped as she finally remembered the lesson, ruby eyes wide with shock. _'Damn it, Schwartz!' _She thought, not even caring to refer to the man by his first name.

"Are you angry that you may marry out of your own race?" The concerned tones of her tutor managed to check her rage, though she still simmered.

"No, I'm not _that_ petty to be angry for that reason. I'm angry because my half-wit father didn't care to mention it!" Itsushi blinked in surprise, sure the girl had a temper, but to be enraged to the point where there were tears in her eyes and a hiccough in her voice was rare indeed. He had only seen her in this state once before and that was when... He shivered, remembering that day well. _'It's better to let the dead lay."_ He thought, not wanting to think about it. The two fell in silence, which was punctured by the timid voice of Ninufa.

"Hey Anise, did ya like the gown?" Anise stood still in utter shock, had he really asked that? The sudden realization of how absurd the situation was made her laugh. At first, it was a small chuckle, then it became a giggle which morphed into a full laugh-your-gut-off laugh. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gasped for air, still wheezing in amusement. This was too much for poor Ninufa, who in all honesty just wanted to know whether he made a good dress. The poor bat like creature head butted her in the stomach and cried out;

"Da, why you so mean to me?! Why don't ya like the dress?!" The pitiful wails of the creature slowly drained the mirth from her eyes. _"Shit, I didn't mean to make Ninufa sad... Godamnit it, I hate today!'_ Gently she raised the sniffling creature to her eye level and said, "I _do_ like the dress; it's very beautiful and thank you very much."

Ninufa looked up, his spirits elated and said, "I knew you would!" He detached her arms from him and buzzed out, a Cheshire grin on his face. Anise stood in shock, astonished at his sudden mood change.

"Anise, I believe that it might be best to talk to your friend Kaede, as he might be able to help you in your current situation." Her tutor said. Anise looked at him confused, how the hell would talking with the red-head help her? But as she learned when she was younger, her tutor did everything for her best interest, despite what ever she might think.

"Alright, I'll talk to the idiot though I don't know what good it'll do." She marched out, only to curse moments later as she got lost again.

"Oi, Flamehead, where are you!?" Anise shouted as she walked through the halls, already changed into more comfortable clothing. Honestly, she had nothing against the dress, but dear George was it tight! Marching around the corner, she turned for Mikage's room for the third time, praying that they weren't doing anything too.._. intimate._ Cracking the door open, she heard muttered voices.

"Ouch, damn it Kaede! Can't you be a bit gentler?"

"Sorry, but you asked for it..."

"But not this har-ahhhhhhh!"

"Crap, did I hurt you? Sorry, it's been a while."

"Urrgh, just continue, it's getting a bit better, and no, that didn't hurt."

There was silence as Anise pondered what they were saying, trying to figure out what was happening. Suddenly, she heard faint moans coming from the room, and she listened, frozen in shock by what she heard.

"Ohhhhh, right there, focus right there!"

"Does it feel good there?"

"Yessss, harder damn it, harder!"

Anise bolted up, her face flushed redder than a cherry at hearing what they had said. The entire conversation... how could she be so oblivious? Picking herself from the floor, she fled down the hallway not wanting to be the peeping tom anymore. Meanwhile inside the room, Mikage cried out, Kaede managing to finally work the knot out of her shoulder.

"There! I massaged your back; now give me my damn sword back!" Mikage smiled, it was actually really easy to make Kaede do work for her, all she had to do was take his sword.

"Must forget what I heard, must forget what I heaaaard!" Anise chanted to herself as she wandered around in the deserted halls. Since it was around lunch, many people had already left, thus leaving the entire corridor empty, save for the occasional lilt of a birds song. Sitting down on the marble floor, she lay on her back, the murals above her calming her mind. _'Geez, what a day I've had. Running from a crazed seamstress, meeting the people who one of them I will be married to, finding out one isn't a human... When did it get to this? I can clearly remember two days ago, when Mikage and I sneaked buns from the cook, us laughing at Kaedes attempts to impress her. Now, I'm trying to choose someone who will help my kingdom, who'll be bound to me for life.'_ She drew a hand across her eyes, surprised at the drops of moisture. The last time when she cried was when... She pondered when was the last time she cried? Ever since she was a child she had been taught to be emotionless, not allowing the opponent to gain the upper hand. Footsteps alerted her that she was not alone, and apparently the person was in a rush. She stood up quickly, grasping the dagger hidden in the waist of her dress. If the person had a sword however, she wasn't sure what she would be able to do against _that. _To her relief, it was just the delegate from Lusraron, Mutsuki.

"Come quickly, there've been attacks to the south, and the council desires your thought on what to do." He said curtly, not sugar coating anything. Anise stood in shock, eyes wide with fear. Out of all the places they could attack, why the southern border? _'Because,'_ she thought grimily _'that's where the trade route is, if they want to bring us down then it's obvious that's the place where they'd start.'_

"Well, are you just going to stand there like a fool, or are you coming with me?" She snapped her head up, fire in her eyes. Did he really just call her a fool? Opening her mouth to retaliate Anise realized what the man had been trying to do, trying to anger her so that she'd be able to respond to the situation. Mutsuki nodded, his red eyes locked with hers. The two rushed down the halls towards the war room, neither wanting to waste any time.

"They've attacked here, my lady," a wizened old man said, pointing towards the lower left corner of the map. "We believe that they'll make a march up to Brume and attack before trying to secure the border." A tall, scarred woman shook her head in disagreement.

"Non, that is too simple, they will make an attack for Bree then head for the capital." Another man shook his head and proposed his idea.

"No, we should do this..."

"No, that would never work, do this..."

"That's stupid! Why would we do that?"

Anise sighed and rubbed her forehead as the room exploded with arguments. These were all battle hardened men and women, so why did they act like children? As the clamour rose so did her temper, until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Everyone shut up, sit down and drink your goddamn tea!" She bellowed, gaining their attention. Doing as she did, the group sat down meekly and took small sips of the now cold tea. "Now," Anise said briskly, "We have no idea where these people are going to attack, that's for sure. Xiao Lung-" she said , gaining the awareness of the thin male with dark hair and hazel eyes, "I want you and your spies to infiltrate their camp, gain as much information as you can. If you deem it unsafe, then return immediately, we'll find an alternate way to gain information. "Yan Yee, gather your guards and make sure they're prepared in case of an emergency. Lin, gather what you can about the enemy, who they are, where they come from, and why they're attacking. Council is dismissed until further information." With that, the pinkette rose from her seat and walked out, leaving a group of awed people.

Xiao Lung chuckled and said, "You heard her folks, do what the little princess says. Otherwise," He said with a gleam in his eyes, "you may never know when a dagger in going to be placed in your back." The council members shivered and quickly dispersed, not wanting to anger the loyal guard of her Highness. They, however, did not notice a pair of eyes watching their every move, and they certainly didn't notice that they'd been there ever since the beginning of the meeting.

Anise sighed as she got ready for bed; the council meeting had taken more time than she thought it would. _'Damn it father'_ she thought as she eased herself into the warm water of her bath, _'why did you leave already? The least you could have done was stay and help me out!'_ For it was true, Schwartz had left immediately after introducing the men to her, not staying a second more. "Why do I have the stupidest father?" She groaned, annoyed by his lack of decorum. Even she, the hellion of the royal family had enough sense to not leave the kingdom when it needed help the most.

Slowly Anise eased herself between the soft silken sheets of her bed. She sighed with pleasure, even if she hated being a princess, it did have its small comforts. Laying her head on the pillow, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

A noise woke her up, it was one so small, and it shouldn't have. But it did, and Anise bolted up, eyes scanning the room. She was nervous, though why she couldn't say. After all, she had Xiao Lung, one of the best fighters as her guard, so why should she feel so uneasy? Nevertheless she did, and so she got out of bed, clutching the sheet around her, aware that she only wore a thin shift underneath. Her eyes scanned the room, and her head snapped back in shock. The balcony window was open, the curtain dancing in the wind.

"Are you looking for me?" She whirled around, and was face to face with a masked stranger.

**A/N- Blargh, I'm done! Geez, that was painful... but oddly fun. Anyway, thanks to my friend Charmaine for revising/editing this.**

**Please rate/Review! Constructive criticism is welcomed, flames not so much. **


	3. Room Invaders

Strange in the Night

** Disclaimer: I do not own Barajou no Kiss.**

**A/N: Let's begin, shall we?**

Anise scrambled backwards, too shocked to even scream. The stranger surged forward, covering her mouth to muffle any sounds. Her eyes widened, and even though it was night, the bright glow of the moon put everything in a stark contrast. The man was tall and imposing, with a long cloak that covered his body entirely. What terrified her most was his mask, pale like a corpse with paper thin slits for the eyes and mouth. She struggled to escape his grasp, trying desperately to reach her dagger she kept hidden for this purpose. But much to her dismay, Anise suddenly remembered that she had given it to the blacksmith to be sharpened. Just as she was about to bite the eerie man's hand, he spoke.

"I mean no harm to you unless you bring it upon yourself." Cautiously, as if to prove his point, he let her go. He remained on guard in case he needed to silence her again. But Anise had other plans. She had witnessed the dizzying speed of how quickly the masked man could move, and she knew even without him saying he could kill her at a moment's notice.

"Who are you?" She whispered, slowly walking backward toward the safety of her room. She wasn't particularly comfortable on the balcony, with the wind blowing and having only a thin shift on.

"It's of no matter to you of who I am. What I know though is." She pondered his words, wondering if it was worth the trouble to continue pestering him. Evidently, he must have guessed what she was thinking.

"It will help you with your current... _predicament_." The voice was muffled; no doubt the man had cloth underneath the mask. Yet the voice was strangely and irritatingly familiar, like a half forgotten dream. Cold fingers of dread slipped down her back as she remembered the guards that surrounded her room.

"Did you harm the guards?" She asked sharply, concern tingeing her voice. This was obviously not what he thought she would say, so curiously he asked:

"What is it to you? They are just guards to you, worthless pawns if you will. Why does their well being matter to you?" There was no contempt in his voice, rather it was as if he was testing her. Anise sighed. Of course there would be prejudice on how she would think. After all, she was a _princess. _To most people, that meant spoiled rotten brats who cared only for themselves.

"What do you mean _worthless pawns_? Are we playing a game of chess?" She asked in a calm voice, "To me, each one of them is just as important as a queen. Without them, how would the kingdom function? Laws would be broken, thievery and murder as far as the eye can see." He said nothing, and to her surprise he chuckled.

"I see... so _that's_ the type of person you are. Heh, you rarely see that type of mentality among royals anymore."

"What type of mentality?" Anise questioned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"The type where a person puts others before themselves," He said. For a moment, Anise could have sworn she saw a glint of an eye. "The type where someone doesn't give a damn about what happens to them, as long as a majority of the population is safe. It's both a blessing and a curse. Remember that."

Debating about asking him what he meant by that, she shook her head and decided to focus on his previous words.

"What do you mean you have a solution to my predicament?"

"Ah, but I never said I had a _solution_ girl," the intruder sneering as he spoke. The man seemed to change personalities faster than Anise changed out of dresses. One second he was complimenting her on policy, the next he was criticizing her choice of words. Breathing deeply so that way she wouldn't yell at him, she said sweetly:

"Oh how _silly_ of me to mess up my word selection in a topic we had digressed so grossly from, and _pardon_ me if it was one where we barely even discussed." The man twitched. It was obvious that he knew that she was mocking him by the honey sweet voice and the emphasis on certain words. "Now, if you would be so _kind_, I _humbly_ request that you assist me in my predicament," completing the sentence with the widest grin on her face. Though she hid it most of the time, she had a tongue sharper than steel. Now it was the stranger's turn to breathe deeply before he said:

"I can tell you where the attackers are going, and their reason behind it."

Intrigued by this, Anise asked, "How in the world did you get this information?" All the sarcasm in her voice was gone. "My informants haven't even told me of this until today, and they're-"

"The most corrupt two faced dogs you will probably have the misfortune to hire." Anise was stunned.

"Wh-what do you mean corrupt and two faced?" She asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer.

"Take a stab at it." The man replied dryly. Seeing her struggling to come up with an answer, he said, "Here's a hint; the pockets of your enemies are deep and generous." When she got it, the colour from her face drained from shock then flushed red with rage.

"They were _bribed?_" She hissed, eyes narrowing until they were nothing but slits, "Those curs!"

"That they are, but it does not matter currently," the masked man said, "what matters is that you are informed of your enemies motives and strategy."

"Why do you want to tell me this? What are _your_ motives?" She asked suspiciously, crossing her arms.

"My motives are my own and that should be none of your business. However, I will tell you this; I don't give freely, information had a price."

Digesting this, the pinkette asked, "What is your price, then? Gold? Silver? Gems? Or is it less material?"

"It's nothing of your concern; all I ask for is an answer to a question of mine." He said stoically. Anise pondered on the tall man's words. _Is he really serious? An answer to a question is all he wants?_

Deciding she could take the risk, she said, "All right, I'll play your game, but you have to cough up the information first."

"Very well, I can do that deal. Your adversaries are planning to head west to a certain town."

"Which town, and why west?" She asked quizzically, tilting her head in confusion.

"How should I know?" He asked, miffed, "It was difficult enough getting this much information, and on top of all thing, this isn't my kingdom. Now-" He said, holding up a slender hand to silence her, "Do you want me to continue, or will you keep interrupting?"

"Please continue."

"Very well. The exact purpose for this is to capture the spice caravans." Anise blanched. The spice trade was a key figure in getting income for her kingdom.

'_If the caravans were captured, then we would lose a significant portion of our income.'_ She thought, her mind thoughts swirling like a whirlpool. _That could prove to be harmful in the winter when we need funds for food, or to hire new recruits. Dear god, if the raid is actually successful..._

"I don't see how we could survive that." She whispered out loud, cradling her head in her hands.

"Then don't let it happen." She looked up, suddenly face-to-mask with the man. Crouching so that he was still on her eye level he continued; "Send your troops to the west, lay an ambush. If you do that, there is a chance that the raid would be foiled."

"Why should I trust you?" She demanded, not suspicious but still cautious. It wasn't the first time a complete stranger had offered her information about an attack, though it _was_ the first time were they'd broken into her room. "How do I know you're not lying, deceiving me for your amusement?"

"You have no reason to trust me, it is your own choice whether to believe me or not. And even though your council helps you with your decisions, it's you who has the final say in the matter. Remember that." Dropping her head back into the cradle of her hands, Anise sighed. Everything he said was true. She did have the veto of power, and she had used it before, but hated doing so. _In my opinion, everyone should have a say in the matter._

Suddenly feeling frustrated beyond all means, she cried, "What's in the west that makes it so desirable? Most of our caravans come from the east! Why aren't they going _there_ instead?"

"How should I know?" He asked, walking back towards the balcony, "This isn't my kingdom, it's yours."

"How much time do I have left to make a decision?"

"A month if you're lucky, a week at the least. Now, if you'll excuse me," he gave her a short bow. "I will be leaving. Farewell till we meet again." With astonishing grace he hopped over the railing and disappeared from sight. Crying out, Anise ran outside, fearful of seeing a splatter of red on the ground. To her astonishment, there was no such mark. There was, however, the theatre mask he had worn. Picking it up with trembling hands, she turned it over to see a short note scribbled on a piece of paper.

"_Sleep._"

She burst out laughing, out of all the things he could write, telling her to sleep? Still chuckling, she slipped back into her bed and before she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, she thought;

_Hey, he didn't ask me a question..._

(*Insert Line*)

"Wakey wakey my princess!" Anise grunted in annoyance and snuggled into her pillow deeper trying to block out the annoying voice. "Oh, how sweet you look my angel! I long for the day where I can hold you in my arms." Anise shifted uneasily, the voice was getting clearer, which meant that she wasn't asleep. Lifting her head, she looked straight into the eyes of one of her possible fiancés, Mitsuru Tenjou.

"The morning makes you look a goddess, even the glorious sun is jealous of you." He cooed, reaching forward as if to touch her face. A resounding slap echoed through the room as the result. Anise scooted as far away from him as she could, face burning red.

"You-you get out of my room this instant!" Tenjou to his credit, bowed and left, throwing an air kiss to her before he left the room. Anise let out a strangled scream and buried her head into the pillow. _Can I not get one moment of rest? Or do I have to constantly fend off room invaders?_ She debated about staying in bed for the rest of the day, only to have her plan ruined by the rumbling of her stomach. Grumbling, she slipped out of bed and put on breaches and a loose fitting shirt. Damn it if she got any stares, after all the shit that happened to her, she felt entitled to wear something comfortable today. Sneaking out of her room she sped down the halls toward the kitchen.

"Damn it!" She swore again after she faced another dead end. Stomping off in another direction, she growled. Most of the time Ninufa would come to her rescue, fluttering by on his little bat wings and saving the day. However, for some reason today he was strangely absent, and even her calls for him went unanswered.

"If only Kaede and Mikage were here." She thought glumly. By a proxy message from one of the guards she happened to run into to, the two were visiting the violette's parents. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she smashed her face right into a door.

"Owowowowowowoowowowow!" She whined, holding her nose. Since there was no blood and it didn't hurt when she moved it, she knew it wasn't broken. Rubbing the injured body part, Anise glared at the door. Opening it just for curiosity`s sake, she looked upon a room filled with pigeon holes. There were perhaps thousands of them and each one had a scroll inside. Shocked at the discovery, Anise looked around for any clue as to what this room was.

_The Hall Of History_

She snorted, not impressed by the name. "What an original name, wonder who came up with it?" She muttered sarcastically. But despite the lack of creativity in the naming, her curiosity was piqued. Picking up the only book in the room, she wiped away layers of grime to see the title.

_The Complete Tale Of Lumenina. _She frowned, as far as she knew, there was no country called Lumenina that existed. Sitting down, she opened the book and read the introduction.

_Throughout the ages, the country of Lumenina has remained strong despite numerous attacks. The vast lands, fertile soil and the sheer amount of wealth is has made it desirable by many, and often neighbouring countries have waged war desperate to obtain the bounty that our land contains. Thanks to equally powerful allies, Lumenina managed to pull out of such encounters victorious. _

Anise smiled. It looked like the country had similar problems to her own kingdom. Continuing reading, she gave a small gasp.

_Lumenina is renowned for another trait, the worship of her holiness, The Dominion. The goddess was rumoured to have been nigh on invincible in battle, and when accompanied by her knights, she was an unstoppable force. The people of Lumenina worshipped her and prayed to The Dominion for victorious battles. Thanks to such habits, Lumenina was given the nickname of the goddess herself. Though the name Lumenina still stands, it may very well be forgotten, and the new name of The Dominion be written on all official documents._

'_Lumenina is The Dominion?'_ She thought, eyes as wide as saucers. _'No wonder I've never heard of it! Father still signs all the official documents, I bet if I were to take a look at them, I'd see the name "Lumenina" instead of "The Dominion."' _

"This might help me figure out why the attack is going west!" She hissed, and flipped of the table of contents. Eyes racing down the page, she saw the chapter she was looking for.

'_The West and Its Trade'_ Flipping to the page, she began reading.

_Though most of the goods normally exported come from the north and the east, the west has a key item that is often overlooked, which provides a significant amount of profit. Indeed, the spice saffron is overlooked from the spice trade, but in reality the saffron makes much more than any other spice. Most of the spice comes from the small town of Glendale. The key season for..._

Anise stopped reading. Finally she had managed to get the information she so deeply desired. Here, in the pages of the insanely large book was a motive, and a very big motive indeed. She stood up quickly, and sat down just as fast, her head spinning from lack of sleep and food. The council meeting had cut straight through dinner and it was far too late back then to ask the cook for a meal. Rising slowly, she took the book and walked out of the giant archive.

'_I'll take it, just in case I can't find this place again. Who knows when I'll need to use this thing again?' _After all, she herself knew that she had a _horrible_ sense of direction. Closing the door as quietly as she could, she began walking, deciding to go outside.

"After all there _are_ fruit trees and vegetables, and with my luck, I'd get lost again." She muttered.

(Scene Change~)

Stepping into the shadowy grove, she began plucking as many fruits as she could reach. Apples, cherries, plums, peaches, hell even nectarines which she normally disliked. Sitting down to eat, she heard a familiar voice above her:

"Is my company that desirable? Or are you prone to seeking me for no apparent reason? Why are you here anyway?" Looking up, she saw the heir to Lusraron and another one of her possible fiancés Mutsuki Kurama. Swallowing the bite of apple, she retorted;

"Well beg my pardon if the fruit orchards just happen to be your lurking place, I had no clue of that. Also, sorry for not being able to find my way to the dining hall, because my lack of direction is _clearly_ my fault." The last sentence dripped with sarcasm. To Mutsuki's credit, he didn't seem angry, only indifferent as usual.

"I never asked for your pardon, nor did I criticize you, I merely asked why you decided to come here," he said calmly. Anise swallowed an angry remark; he did ask her why she was here.

"Because I have no idea how to get to the dining hall, and tying into to that, I haven't had any food for the entire day." Right on cue, her stomach growled embarrassingly loud. Raising an eyebrow, Mutsuki slipped off the branch as gracefully as a lynx, landing without the slightest bit of noise. Before Anise could say anything he gave her a small basket. Wondering what was in it, she opened to find some bread, cheese and a flask of cider.

Sincerely confused Anise looked at the raven haired man and asked, "Why did you do this?"

Not meeting her eyes, he looked up at the sky and said, "I noticed your absence during the morning and assumed that you would be hungry. I noticed yesterday that you came here for food, so I made the assumption that you'd come again." Anise was speechless. Though the way he had phrased it was stiff and awkward, the meaning behind his words and actions was clear. He thought of her well-being and acted upon it. _'How sweet, in an odd way._' She thought, looking at him more closely. Before, she had thought he had as much emotion as an ice cube, now she was debating on whether it was true. Looking up from the basket to thank him, he was gone. Shaking her head in annoyance at his flight, Anise sat down to eat the more filling meal.

Leaning back against the tree, she heaved a sigh of content. Now full and having more energy, she pulled out a paper and quill to begin a battle tactic. Say whatever you wanted, Anise firmly believed that breaches and a shirt were much more comfortable than a dress, not to mention much more serviceable. Sketching out a rough outline of Glendale and the towns around it, she began planning.

"No, if they attack from here then we'll be open for an attack from the back... No, if they attack from there, then _they'll_ be open for an attack, they'd be stupid to do that..." much of her mumbling was like little snippets of she was thinking in her head. Soon, her page was covered with crossed out lines and blots, scribbles of makeshift armies and the odd word or two. To a casual stranger, it would seem as if she was planning a pretend attack, after all, _princesses_ never did anything worthwhile these days.

That was where Anise planned to prove them wrong. Most of the population thought that the female highborns were spoiled beyond measure, but that was false. Sure there was the occasional whiny brat who depended on their parents for pretty much everything, but mainly princesses were quite capable of commanding a kingdom, even more so than men at times. So there she sat, planning strategy after strategy, finding all the little flaws and seeing which would have the least casualties.

"Dominion damn those wily bastards, they have all the advantages!" Anise scowled, she had tried every idea possible, and so far all had led to the defeat of her troops. Laying the piece of paper aside, she rested her head on her knees. _'I've tried every strategy I know and even then some! Yet I've the feeling that I'm missing something... '_

"Are you okay, miss?" Lifting her hair out of her face, she saw warm gold eyes looking at her. Seiran Asagi, the little prince from Caelua crouched by her side with a worried looking expression.

Managing a small smile she said, "Yes, I'm fine. I just have a... _problem,_ that's all."

"What type of problem? If it's about the attack in the south, I'm sure I can help you figure out something." Anise gaped, was it _Seiran_ who visited her in the night? _'No,_' she decided taking a closer look at the now sitting boy, _'he's too short and too sweet to be that man. But I wonder, how does he know about the attack?'_ Deciding to ask him this, she opened her mouth only to have him say;

"If you're wondering how I know this, your council isn't so tip lipped as it should be..." The blue haired boy blushed, as if embarrassed by actions that he didn't do. Anise sighed, though her war council was excellent when directed the right way. But they could be, at times, complete idiots. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Anise redirected her attention to the boy sitting beside her.

"Take a look at this," she said, handing him the scribbled piece of paper, "if you can see anything that I haven't thought of, feel free to tell me." There was no more noise as they sat in silence, the small prince looking over her past strategies while she gazed up at the sky planning the weapons needed and the forces required.

"I found a way for you to win with minimal casualties." Snapped out her thoughts, all of her focus was on him. Scooting over so that she was looking over his shoulder, Anise asked;

"How? And how much time do we have to assemble the troops in order for it to be successful?" From studying maps when she was younger, Anise knew where each and every town was located, and from that how long it took to assemble troops and such. Thus, she knew how long each type of attack would take in terms of time, and how many were needed to make it successful.

"It would have to be an ambush, and it would have to be along this ridge here," he said tracing the point in her makeshift map with the quill, "and it would take perhaps a week or so to marshal your troops."

"How many would we..." Most of the conversation went along like that, with the pinkette asking questions and the boy answering each of them.

"Heh, you're really mature for someone your age!" She exclaimed admirably. It had taken her years to get the concepts behind planning attacks and capturing territory.

"What do you mean 'Your age'?" He asked, clearly quite puzzled, "You do know that I am seventeen, don't you?" Anise's jaw dropped. This cute boy, or so she thought, was seventeen? The oldest she'd give him was fifteen, and even that was being generous!

"Wait-so if _you're_ seventeen, then how old-"

"Are Mutsuki and Tenjou?" He said calmly, finishing her question. "Twenty and twenty-two respectively. Though I'm not sure as to _how _one calculate Mutsuki's age, considering he's-"

"A Dark Stalker?" Anise said, interrupting him this time. Seiran looked at her with a shocked expression; evidently he had not expected her to know that.

"How do you know this? Even the wisest nobles know little of them." She understood why he was shocked, not needing his explanation. Itsushi himself had known little about them, and Anise knew he was among the wisest in terms of his knowledge.

"My tutor told me of them when I was younger, though even he doesn't know that much about them. So how do you know about them...?" She struggled, not wanting to be impolite or rude when addressing him.

"Seiran, you can call me Seiran." He said kindly. Anise nodded her thanks before wait for his answer.

"I know about them because of the agreement between our kingdoms." He said. Seeing her confused look, he elaborated. "Back when Caeula was still a new kingdom, we made a treaty between Lusraron and Valkoinenia, as long as they would assist us if we were in danger we would provide services otherwise unavailable in their countries."

"Like what?" Anise asked curiously.

"Mainly medical care, although we do a bit of trading with food and all." Seiran answered. The pinkette nodded to herself, medicinal care was, and still is important, what with diseases and illnesses.

"So before they signed the treaty they told the rulers what they were?" She asked hesitantly, not wanting to intrude too much.

"Yes." Suddenly aware that they were both leaning in toward each other, Anise sprang up and stammered;

"Uh-uh, I re-really ne-ne-need to start planning the ambush, thanks for your help!" With that, she fled toward the castle face aflame.

(End of Chapter)

**A/N: I am soooo sorry for the late chapter! My dear U.S.B failed and died on me, ;n;**

**Also, I've been reading Homestuck, and it has consumed my soul.**

**HAHAHAHAH I WIN**

** I WARNED YOU ABOUT HUSSIE BRO**

** I WARNED YOU DOG**

**Also, THE GAME.**

** Thanks to my friends Karen and Charmaine for editing this! I shudder to think what it would be like without their help...**

** Thanks to those who review/fav/follow ANY of my stories! **

** Farewell~ TheUnluckyShipper**

**(P.S, the words in caps lock where by my friend.)**


	4. Kiss the ground

**.)A/N:Ahahaha! So I'm not dead after all! Instead, I've been reading manga, selling my soul to Andrew Hussie and managing to somehow finish my homework in time! But you probably don't want to hear about my life... So I'll let you read on.**

** Disclaimer: I do not own Barajou no Kiss.**

**Chapter 4**

"What are we here for, your majesty?" Yan Yee asked Anise, her tone calm save for a hint of curiosity. After Anise fled from the orchard she immediately headed for the war room. Whether it was some stroke of luck or that her feet were used to walking there, Anise had made it there without getting lost.

"I've managed to get ahold of key information on where the enemy is heading, and what's their motive for attacking." There was a collective gasp from her subordinates. Before she'd sounded the council horn, Xiao Lung had appeared and confirmed what the stranger had told her last night, that the attack was to turn into a raid on the spice trade. Now, armed with the fact that what the masked man had said the night before wasn't a lie, she felt more confident than ever.

"How so?" An old woman asked, her back bent with age. "It takes _at least_ a week for you to double check whether the information is true, and even longer for you to formulate a plan!" There was a collective murmur in the room; the old crone did have a valid point. Normally Anise was very thorough in her research of motives and moves, the process in which she took to make sure that the information was correct was lengthy, and for a plan to be formed that quickly was unheard of.

"Yeah, even if your lapdog managed to get the information to you today, how can you possibly do your superstitious shit in an hour?" A brash youth spoke up, looking skeptical.

Counting to ten to stem her annoyance, she said in a somewhat calm voice, "first of all, he isn't my lapdog, he's the head of spies, secondly- who are you?" At that the man was quiet. Finally a middle aged woman spoke.

"I'm sorry your highness, that man is a soldier who excels in battle. It was by my recommendation that he come to this meeting. I had thought he would gain valuable skills in listening to the discussion but I was wrong." The woman bowed her head, knowing the repercussions of what she had did; invite someone to the council without royal permission. Silently, Anise cursed, the woman had provided valuable information and new views on ways of attack, altogether a well of knowledge. Now, thanks to some skinhead, she had to punish her. Silent for some time, trying to find a suitable punishment, at last she spoke.

"Though I know your intentions were good, I can't allow this deed to go unpunished. Therefore, you will be dismissed from the council after this meeting. Until the need comes, you are to give up your duties as a council member and focus on training the new troops." The woman looked up in surprise. Even if Anise had worded it differently, the punishment wasn't really a punishment at all. Indeed, it was basically an order to train the newbies, while being on leave from the council until they needed her. Bowing, the woman took a seat, hiding her relief. Anise continued from where she left off.

"Now, I'm certain that you agree with what that man said, though not exactly in that phrasing. The truth is, I did not do any of my usual routine of cross referencing."

The council gave a collective gasp, for the princess to admit this so freely without looking concerned was unheard of. Before another person decided to speak up, Anise spoke again. "The reason is because we don't have enough time. I've spoken with another person, and from what Xiao Lung had told me earlier today, the information that I have been provided with is too similar to ignore." The people in the room shifted with surprise, the princess was wary of accepting information from strangers; and that she had done it without consulting a general was even more perplexing. Still, they remained quiet as Anise explained what the plan of attack was.

"First, we place our troops here..."

"Council meeting is dismissed, proceed with your duties." Never has Anise been so glad to say those words; the meeting was riddled with arguments and challenges about the idea of an ambush. Most of the men and women wanted to charge in head first, with "Glory and splendor," and the thought of doing an ambush made many of them disgruntled. Somehow, she managed to sway the general opinion to a positive one, but there were still a few who would have preferred to charge and attack. Thinking she was alone in the room, Anise busied herself with cleaning up papers and organizing documents.

"Where did you get the additional information?"

Anise sighed and turned around to face Xiao Lung. He stared at her unwaveringly, his face arranged into a calm mask. Anise was quiet, studying the thin man's body language. Though his face was calm his shoulders were tensed, and the muscles in his neck strained. He was worried she realized, worried about her safety. Though it pained her to say this, she couldn't tell him of the meeting, not just yet.

"I'm sorry, but that is none of your business. Now, if you'll excuse me," Anise stood up and walked briskly to the door. "I'm going to be late for my weapon practice." Xiao Lung watched the pinkette go with hurt in his eyes.

"What are you hiding, princess?" He asked himself quietly. "What are you so desperately trying to hide?" Unknown to all, a raven hopped in the rafters, his small beady eye taking in all that had occurred.

"Da, Anise where ya goin'?" Spinning around Anise found herself face to face with Ninufa, the very bat creature who she had been looking for hours earlier.

"There you are! I've been looking for you ever since morning. Do you have any idea what I've been through?" She grabbed Ninufa and pinched his cheeks, forcing his facial features into a smile. "And now you act as if you can just waltz back in here and act as if nothing has happened? Think again my little friend. Think again." For a moment she watched his terrified expression, enjoying the knowledge that he learned his lesson. As she thought of several punishments, the bells in the courtyard tolled and she remembered that her weapons lesson was starting soon. "If you can get me to my sword classes on time, then _maybe_,just _maybe_ I'll think of forgiving you," she said sternly. Instantly Ninufa's expression cheered up and he wriggled out of her grasp.

"Follow me, and try to keep up!" With that he buzzed off in the opposite direction. Nearly tripping on her own feet, Anise ran after him. While following him, a thought occurred to her. _If I write down the directions, I won't get lost!_ Fishing out a bit of paper from her pocket, she snatched a pen from a passing noble and began writing.

"Three turns left from the silver statue of The Goddess, one right turn at the corner where I accidently saw Mikage and Kaede make out for the first time..." muttering what she was writing, Anise managed to follow Ninufa without getting lost. As they continued on, the route became more complicated, until Anise had to stop Ninufa and tie a rope on his tail so she could write and still be guided. "One right turn by the twentieth orange grove, nine left turns from the second left path near the fourth rose bed- wait was it the fifth rose bed?"

"Na, dat was de fourth one!" Ninufa piped up from ahead.

"Thank you Ninufa. Anyways, four left turns by the- umph!" Without any warning, Anise crashed into a person. With no way to stop the momentum, the two of them crashed to the floor, Anise dragging Ninufa with her. Anise groaned in pain and mumbled, "Ouch... what was that?"

"I would prefer if you don't call me 'that', considering the fact that I'm not an object." An irritated voice said underneath her. Anise looked down and squeaked in mortification. Under her was Mutsuki, and from his expression, he was not pleased. Scrambling to her feet she apologized profusely.

"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me, I was writing down directions and then-"

"You crashed into me," Mutsuki said in a deadpanned voice. "I know what just happened, I'm not an idiot."

Anise flinched, his voice was cold, and if she didn't know any better, she could swear that the temperature dropped a few degrees. "Now," he said, getting up fluidly, "what in the world would make you run like that?"

Swallowing, the princess said, "my weapons class is going to start in a few minutes, and I can't be late."

"And may I inquire, where does this class take place?"

"In the Main Shrine's courtyard."

"Well, it may interest you that the Main Shrine is in the opposite direction than from where you were traveling." There was dead silence as Anise digested what he said. Breathing deeply, she turned around and said in her sweetest voice,

"Ninufa, what were you playing at?"

The aforementioned creature turned pale and tried to fly away. He would have made too, if it hadn't been for that rope around his tail.

"What were you thinking?!"

"I'm sorry! I thought de class was this way!"

"Well, you're wrong! Geez Ninufa, what's gotten into you? First you disappear for half the day, next thing I know you're leading me in the wrong direction!"

"It's not my fault you don't know de path!"

"No, but being late for my class is!"

"I was scared!"

"If I'm late, I'll give you a reason to be terrified!"

Mutsuki watched the two bicker back and forth, neither wanting to take the blame for getting lost. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered how he had gotten into this mess. _All I desired to do was take a walk privately away from those damned court women and their gossip, now I have to deal with an irritable princess and an odd slang using bat-creature. _At the height of their arguing, the raven haired man decided it was enough. With a flick of his wrist, the strings associated to his race appeared and severed the rope between Anise and Ninufa. With an ecstatic whoop, Ninufa, realizing that he was free, buzzed off, planning to stay far away from Anise until she calmed down. Blinking in shock, Anise turned around, speechless in her anger. Before she could begin her tirade, Mutsuki covered her mouth.

"Hmmnhmnnhhhmn!" Anise tried to speak, but it was no use. Seeing that Mutsuki wasn't going to lift his hand, the pinkette resolved to give him her best death glare. Ignoring it, he calmly asked her, "do you want to make it on time to your classes, or not?" Lifting his hand carefully he waited for her answer. Thankfully, he didn't wait too long for her response, almost immediately Anise began ranting.

"Why did you let Ninufa go? He deserved being yelled at, he wasn't here all day, and when he was he led me the wrong way! And now I'm going to be late for my swords cla- wait." She paused and registered what he said. "Did you just say you could get me to my classes on time?"

Mutsuki replied to her in an offhand voice, "yes, I did, and you better answer me soon. They start in a minute."

"Yes, of course I want to be there on time!" She looked anxiously at him. _If he does manage to do it on time, then I owe him one._

"Then let me carry you."

Numerous emotions went across her face, the most prominent being embarrassment. _But,_ she thought, _desperate times call for desperate measures. _Blushing involuntary, she nodded her consent. As if she weighed nothing, Mutsuki scooped Anise up in his arms. Adjusting her so that she was comfortable, he crouched slightly.

"Hold on tight," he whispered. Before Anise could question him, Mutsuki crouched slightly, and jumped.

Opening her mouth to scream but only to have the wind steal her voice, Anise clutched Mutsuki's shoulders, too shocked to even process what was happening. They were high above the ground, moving at an astonishing pace. The courtyard was a mass of colours, with the ant like figures of the nobles milling about. Anise groaned, the sheer speed at which they were traveling at combined with how high they were gave her a woozy feeling. Shaking her head in vain, the princess buried her face in the side of Mutsuki's neck, trying desperately to control her breathing.

"We're here," the Dark Stalker said with a bored tone, as if he constantly picked up princess and escorted them by jumping to insane heights. Peeking down, Anise indeed, to her relief, saw the cracked stone floor of the courtyard. Shaking, she let go of his shoulders and dropped to the floor.

"Oh blessed ground, I will never leave you again!" She cried, and lay on the floor. Watching her antics, Mutsuki couldn't help but sigh.

"How could someone so childish manage to rule an entire nation?" He asked himself.

"By listening to her advisors and investing in boyish practices instead of feminine ones," a voice said behind him. Turning around in surprised, the dark haired male was faced to face with a middle age man. Tall, with red hair and amethyst eyes, he gave off a steady and dependable impression. _Yet,_ Mutsuki mused, _it appears that he's not what he used to be._ What he thought was true, the red hair was shot through with gray, and wrinkles lined the man's forehead and mouth. Despite this however, his purple eyes were still sharp, taking in what he saw.

"So, you're one of the princes Anise might marry," he stated, rather than asked. Taken by surprise at the abruptness, Mutsuki could only nod. The man looked at him closely, and said, "hmph! Not much muscle on this one eh? But looks can be deceiving, boy. Remember that."

"Now, on to more important matters," moving so quickly that he was a blur, the man swung a staff towards Mutsuki. Without any time to think, he relied on his instincts and ducked. But the man was prepared for that and brought the staff down on Mutsuki's legs. Wincing, the youth retreated, eying the man with apprehension. _Who is he?_ He wondered, and jumped up with alarm as another blow was targeted towards his legs.

"Good reflexes," the man noted, "but in a battle, reflexes aren't enough." Attacking as he spoke, he said sternly, "you need to be able to make split second decisions with ease! You need to be able to move in a blink of an eye from one place to another, you need-"

"To stop talking."

With a flick of the Dark Stalker's wrist, thin wires surrounded the staff and sliced it to pieces. There was silence in the courtyard, and then suddenly the man burst out into laughter.

"You got me there, kid! That was some dandy trick you got there, though in a battle those wires might not go so well up against swords made of solite, or lunite."

Nodding stiffly, Mutsuki said, "I know."

"Then good!" The man paused, and asked curiously, "what weapon do you use? From the way you moved, you don't seem to be a flail user, and I can't see you with something like a hammer, so what do you use?"

"A sword."

Waiting for further information, the red haired man looked intently at him.

After a few moments, he sighed and asked ruefully, "you're not one for much talking, are you?" With no answer forthcoming he chuckled. Sticking out his hand, he said in a confident voice, "I'm Himura Higa."

"And I'm Mutsuki Kurama." The youth said, before shaking Himura's hand.

"Kurama, Kurama... Now where have I heard that surname before?" He mused. Before Mutsuki could state his lineage, the older man's eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "Now I remember! You're the prince of Lusraron, aren't you?"

"I am." Mutsuki said quietly. Nodding in satisfaction, Himura headed over to where Anise was laying on the ground.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing? Stand up straight this instant!" The princess head snapped up. Seeing the figure before her, she scrambled to her feet.

Giving her a once over, Himura sighed and said sternly, "you've been neglecting practice haven't you?"

Guilty, Anise nodded, cursing that one of her potential husbands had to see her like this. Tisking in disappointment, the red haired man grabbed a strange sword.

"What's that?" Anise asked curiously, looking intently at the blade. It had a complicated guard, made of bits of metal that created and abstract design that seemed to cover the hilt. The most peculiar thing about the blade, Anise noted, was the blade. Rather than the single edged dao, or the double edged jian which had blades of moderate thickness, the sword before had a slim, elegant blade that seemed to be made out of pure silver.

"The weapon you're referring to is something that I had custom ordered from Levinia. This sword is called a rapier, and it's made out of the best damn lunaite you could get in this realm."

Awe filled Anise's eyes as she regarded the blade. Mutsuki looked at the blade with new interest. _It's well known that Levinia crafts has the best quality, and they're known manufacture unique weapons. Getting anything from that place cost a king's ransom, and the fact that it's made from lunaite makes it worth a fortune._ Looking at Himura with fascination, he wondered, _Just who is this guy?_

"Boy, what do you think the purpose of this blade is?" Himura asked.

"May I please examine the blade?" Mutsuki asked, not betraying the interest inside him. Nodding in consent, the swords master gave the dark haired youth the blade. Immediately, Mutsuki noticed how light the weapon was. Holding the hilt, he gave it an experimental swing.

"What is he doing?" Anise asked aloud. The look on his face was odd; it was almost like he was lost in thought.

"Hush, child! Let him focus," Himura scolded her. Yet Mutsuki ignored both of them, intent on learning what the strange blade had to offer. Again he swung, but this time he noted that there was almost rigidness in the blade when he did so. Changing his tactic, he thrust the weapon. Alternating between swings and thrusts, an understanding of how the blade worked dawned on him. Shaking his head, he handed the rapier back to Himura, and asked him a straight forward question.

"This sword wasn't made for you, was it?"

Chuckling, Himura said, "No, it wasn't. What made you think that?"

Mutsuki was quiet, and when he spoke, both Himura and Anise had to strain their ears to listen.

"The weight of the blade is much too light for someone with your style. More so, the way the sword is made is for thrusting, rather than slashing; which from what I observed were how you fight. The final factor would be the size, the lightweight. It was obviously meant for a woman."

Giving the blade back to Himura, Mutsuki turned and left.

There was silence, and Anise asked her teacher, "Hey, Sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Why does Mutsuki seem so withdrawn? One minute he's almost nice, the next he becomes prickly."

Looking down at Anise's curious face, Himura sighed.

_ There's still so much she has to learn. _ He reflected, _and during these times, she's going to have to grow up faster than I'd prefer._

Aloud, he said, "I don't know. From the way he acted, it seems like there was an event in his past that scarred him. Give him time, Anise. Not everyone is as expressive as that Tenjou guy."

Anise was shocked, and asked him, "How do you know about Tenjou?" Himura laughed, and told her, "He was at the shrine earlier,

apparently he wanted to know as much about you as possible. You better keep an eye out for that one," he warned. "The way he acted, it seemed like he'd harm anyone who came between you and him."

Anise shivered, the warning seemed like an omen. Changing the mood, Himura gave Anise the rapier.

"I-is this for me?" She asked shocked. The sword felt comfortable and friendly in her hand, unlike the jian which she used most of the time.

"You heard the boy," the swordmaster said, "that rapier is too light for me. Besides, I've noticed that you seem to prefer thrusts to slashes." Anise was speechless. Carefully setting aside the sword, she ran up to Himura and gave him a hug. Standing awkwardly, the older man patted her head before disentangling her arms.

"Now, I want you to practice the first four forms," he told her. Taking a practice sword, he stood beside her, and practiced together.

Groaning slightly, Anise climbed the steps to her room. Practice with Himura was brutal, and with the stress of the upcoming battle made her exhausted. Slipping into her silken sheets, Anise plopped her head on the pillow, and fell asleep immediately.

_Anise floated above a garden, her eyes scanning her surroundings. _

_ "Where am I?" She asked herself. The pinkette was fairly sure that the garden she was above was hers, but there was something different. The large tree where the roses climbed up was a sapling, and the rusty gate was brand new and shiny. A woman with bright pink hair wandered into the garden, looking behind her as if she was being followed._

_ "What is that woman doing, wandering in my garden!" Anise said furiously. Floating down until she could see who it was, she gasped. Pale, creamy skin, lush pink hair and ruby eyes, it was like staring into a reflection. Laughing, the lookalike ran through Anise to the young roses. _

_ "Ninufa, look!" The woman said excitedly. Before Anise could wonder what was going on, a flash of black buzzed by her and stopped at the kneeling woman. Looking closely at it, Anise was filled with shock. The creature whom the woman called Ninufa was the same one Anise knew in real life. _

_** "**__This dream's getting stranger by the minute," she muttered, but nevertheless she came closer to the two of them. _

_ "What is it, Verseia?" The dream Ninufa asked. _

So the lady's name is Verseia._ Anise noted, before going back to listening. _

_ "The first roses bloomed! Look, there's the black one, the red one, the white one and the yellow one!" Anise frowned; as far back as she could remember there had been no yellow roses in Lumaria. _

_ "In fact if I remember correctly growing yellow roses is banned," she said to herself._

"_What's so 'portant 'bout roses?" Ninufa asked scornfully. Verseia merely smiled and said, "Why, Ninufa, roses aren't really_

_important at all. What _is_ important however, is the meaning behind them." _

"_The red rose," she said, tenderly touching the blossom, "means true love. The white rose means virtue and purity, and yellow roses mean friendship, or apology." _

_ "What about the black rose?" Ninufa asked curiously. Verseia paused, and was quiet for a moment. Finally she spoke. _

_ "The black rose is unique... it has both negative meanings as well as positive. For instance, a black rose can mean farewell, hatred or death." _

_ "Then why do you grow it?" Ninufa asked curiously. _

_ "Because the black rose have positive meanings: rebirth or rejuvenation." _

_ "What's your favourite flower, Verseia?" Ninufa asked. _

_ Verseia was quiet, before saying softly, "I'd have to say it would be the pink rose." _

_ "Why?" _

_ "Because of what it represents." _

_Ninufa thought about this, and asked Verseia;_

_ "What does it mean?"_

_ The pink haired woman smiled and said happily, "friendship." _

**Ah, it feels so good to be back again! **

** Sorry about leaving for so long, I had to rethink where I was going with this story. In the beginning, it was a write-as-you-go process, but now I think I'm going to settle down and stivk to one storyline. **

** GEHIEBHGEAHGLIEWHGLW HOMESTUCKISONHIATUSWHATWILLIDONOW?!**

** Sorry, I had to get that out of my system... **

** If you have the time, please leave a review!**

** (No flamers),**

** TheUnluckyShipper~**

** (P.S, if any of you want to ask me anything, feel free! I'd love to talk you guys!)**


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